Mexico Earthquake snaps electrical grids causing power outage; 1.6 million remain in dark

A massive 7.0-magnitude earthquake in southern Mexico engulfed nearly 1.6 million people into darkness due to electrical lines and grids snapping that caused a power outage, the Federal Electricity Commission said in a statement on Sept. 8, Wednesday. It informed that nearly one million and 600,000 residents in the states of Mexico, Guerrero, Morelos, and Oaxaca were affected, which accounts for an estimated 13% of the total consumers in these states and the capital. The efforts to restore power in line with emergency care were underway. 

As the powerful earthquake hit the southwestern state of Guerrero, unnerving footage of the explosions in the sky knocking out the electrical grids and lines emerged. Residents were seen assembled outside of homes in Mexico City, around 180 miles from north of the coastal resort city of Acapulco where the ground and buildings shook due to sudden jolts. At least one death was reported in Guerrero state. There were no immediate reports of major damage but governor Hector Astudillo told Milenio television that a person sustained fatal injuries and died due to a pole falling on him in the town of Coyuca de Benitez near Acapulco, Associated Press (AP) confirmed. 

The earthquake causes rock slides, roof collapse, no civilian injury 

The United States Geological Survey revealed in a statement that the earthquake hit at approximately a 20-kilometre (12-mile) depth in the southwestern state of Guerrero. This triggered rock slides near Acapulco, as well as power failures in major states with reports of some of the damages to the buildings that weren’t earthquake resistant. Storefronts incurred broken objects from the falling concrete and bricks. Some of the cars and other motor vehicles were also destroyed. 

While the earthquake was overall shallow, as many as 92 aftershocks were felt after the initial major jolt, the US Geological Survey said. No civilian injuries were reported. Adela Román, the mayor of Acapulco, said that the situation was under control. Initially, the magnitude was reported as 7.4, but it was later revised to 7.0. Several neighbourhoods are now rendered without the power supply, the mayor said in a televised statement.